leeks

[Pottypotter]

sorry another stupid question.

In my book it says blanch to increase the length of the white stem. Gently draw dry soil around the stems when the plants are well developed. do this in stages, increasing the height a little at a time. If this means what I think it does how can you do this when your not supposed to fill the holes with soil.

[Waffler]

Good question! I've never grown leeks though, so don't know the answer.
You've just reminded me though that I was going to sow leeks today. Oops! Never mind, maybe a quick job for after work one day this week.

[SueA]

Hi Pottypotter, I think the key to this is 'when the plants are well developed' as by that time they should have filled out into the hole anyway,just don't earth them up when they are still skinny & pencil-like & haven't filled the hole up.

[rustylady]

When you plant your leeks you make a hole with a dibber and drop the plants in, water and leave. The reasoning behind not filling the hole at the time is that you don't compact the soil. The holes will gradually fill themselves with dry soil trickling down into them, or the leeks themselves expanding to fill the holes. Any portion of leek above the ground will be green (still edible), but the white stem will be below ground. You can also blanch by planting them in pieces of drain pipe, but I've found this encourages them to rot.

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hi PP - I'm new to leeks too, however logic tells me that you only start to earth up the stems after the plants have grown big enough to fill the holes that you watered them into.

Does that make sense? Another grape will explain it much more clearly (if I'm right!), I'm sure.

[Hazel at the Hill]

oops....the girls beat me to it...but glad to know I was on the right lines!

[Pottypotter]

Thanks it all makes sense now. I could of dug them up blanched them in boiling water and then re-planted them. Only joking.

[Flummery]

I actually like the green part - in soups and stews it adds a bit of colour. I find that half and half suits me fine so I don't blanch. I do make good deep hole with me dibber though.

[Snadger]

I actually like the green part - in soups and stews it adds a bit of colour. I find that half and half suits me fine so I don't blanch. I do make good deep hole with me dibber though.

Thats exactly what I do and most of the potleek growers who grow for show, also do!

It's all to do with the strain of the leek, which is bred to have a certain amount of white (6" in Newcastle for two leeks, and 5.5" in Northumberland for three leeks to a tight button) Once in the ground, blanching a pot leek does little to lengthen the white!

Blanch leeks are a different animal though and they are 'blanched' with all manner of apparatus!

[Two_Sheds]

However you grow them, don't pull them up to harvest...just cut them off an inch below the soil and they'll regrow. Honest. Here's some I did before...

[chicky]

Hi all! I have planted my leeks in trays and put them in the green house. They are doing well. I have never had a vegtable garden before so I am really clueless!!! Could somone please tell me what a dibber is???? Also I have obviously read all the threads so am I right in thinking- I dig a well watered hole for my leeks when I transplant them outside- but I Dont fill the hole in as the soil will either refill around the leeks etc???? And can you really cut them
an inch below soil and they will grow back? Like I said I am clueless so if someone could help I would be extremly grateful! Thanks.

[Geordie]

Hi Chickie,

A dibber looks like this:



There are variations but you get the idea. (mine are made from snapped wooden spade handles)

When you plant the leeks outside simply push the dibber into the soil to make a hole, pop the leek in so 50-75% of leek is below ground then fill with water. Over the next few weeks keep filling with water which will cause the soil to gradually fill the hole as well.

I have never tried cutting my leeks but it is meant to work.

[chicky]

Ahhhhh thanks for your quick response,thats great!!

[pete10]

One small tip is when you plant the leek ,Dip the roots in water before it
goes in the hole makes life a bit easier.

[Flummery]

However you grow them, don't pull them up to harvest...just cut them off an inch below the soil and they'll regrow. Honest. Here's some I did before...

I do the same with cabbages, 2Sheds. Cut it off and you get another. Cut a cross in the stump and you might get 4 small ones. Good eh? But I've never tried it with leeks. I shall now, though.

Flum